Reading: Video Transcript: Knowing the Enemy's Strategies, Part 2

I'm glad to have you back for Session 16 in our series on Spiritual Warfare.

I hope by now you’re gaining a clearer sense of just how real and powerful Satan's influence is—and how necessary it is to do battle in your own life.

Remember, he is at work:

• To steal,

• To kill,

• To destroy.

He's not just vaguely opposing God.
He's actively working to mess up the work of the Lord—especially as Christ builds His kingdom.

And here's something personal to many of you:
Satan is especially targeting leaders in the Church.
Why?
Because if he can take down a leader, it creates a ripple effect—one that can shake an entire congregation, ministry, or family of believers.

Today, we’re continuing our look at the strategy and schemes of the enemy.
We’ve already looked at some of them—subtlety, traps, schisms, siege, surprise, and enslavement.

Now, we’re going to focus on another scheme of Satan:

The Power of Death.

This is a deep and theologically rich theme—so let’s look carefully at a key passage.

📖 Hebrews 2:14 (WEB):

“Since the children have flesh and blood, he also shared in the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.”

Let’s pause and unpack that.

This is a remarkable statement.
It says that the devil holds the power of death.

Now, what does that mean?

Does it mean that Satan literally kills people—that he chooses who dies, when, and how?

Does it mean that he sends the storms, the bullets, the wars?

For instance:

• Is he behind the war going on in Israel and Gaza?

• Did he provoke Russia to invade Ukraine?

• Is he the force behind the deaths of thousands of innocent people?

That’s a natural assumption—but most commentators do not interpret the verse that way.

Here’s the better interpretation:

Satan is not the originator of death itself,
but he is the one who introduced sin into the world.
And through sin, death came.

Paul says in Romans 5:12:

“Therefore, as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin, so death passed to all men because all sinned.”

Satan’s scheme is that he weaponizes death.
He holds people in bondage to the fear of death.
He uses the finality and uncertainty of death to:

• Keep people enslaved to sin,

• Keep them paralyzed by fear,

• Keep them doubting God’s goodness and love.

But here's the gospel:
Jesus shared in our humanity so that through His own death, He might destroy the one who holds the power of death—the devil.

That’s what we’ll explore next:
What it means that Christ broke Satan’s grip on death—and how we now live in resurrection freedom.

You remember back in Genesis chapter 3, when God created the world—He made the man and the woman and placed them in the Garden of Eden.

He told them,

“You may eat from any tree in the garden—except the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.”

And then, Satan enters the scene.

He comes in with that subtle, twisting approach—his classic scheme.

He asks Eve:

“Did God really say you can't eat from any tree in the garden?”

That’s not what God said at all.

Eve responds, “No, He said we can eat from the trees—except from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. If we eat from it, we will surely die.”

Then, as you know, the woman saw that the fruit was:

• Good for food,

• Pleasing to the eye,

• Desirable for gaining wisdom.

So she took it.

And at that moment, death was introduced into the world.

Now, that death had two forms:

1. Spiritual death — and we see the signs of it right away.
   Adam and Eve used to walk with God in the cool of the day—
   Imagine that: the God of the universe walking with these two human beings made in His image.

   But now? They’re hiding.

   They feel shame.
   They cover themselves with leaves.
   They hear God coming and they run.
   God calls out:

   “Adam, where are you?”

   That’s the picture of the separation that sin causes.

2. And then there’s physical death—
   The process of dying entered into human reality.
   God had intended that human beings would live forever.
   That was the plan.

But when sin entered through that disobedience, death followed.
As Romans 5:12 says:

“Through one man, sin entered the world, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people.”

That’s what this verse in Hebrews 2:14 is pointing to when it says that the devil holds the power of death.

It doesn’t mean Satan has the divine right to kill at will—but rather, that he was the one who introduced sin, and thus the fear of death, into our experience.

He’s the one who:

• Fractured the relationship,

• Introduced shame,

• Brought spiritual death,

• And ultimately physical death.

But even in Genesis 3, we see God still seeking.

He calls out to Adam and Eve.

He covers their shame, not with leaves, but with animal skins—a sign that blood must be shed to cover sin.

That was the beginning of the redemptive story—pointing forward to Jesus.

So yes, Satan holds the power of death—
But only until Jesus broke that power through His own death and resurrection.

That’s where we’re heading next:
How Christ destroyed death’s grip and set us free.

And so, with the power of death comes fear.

The fear of death drives so many people to do things that are unhealthy—emotionally, spiritually, physically. People chase fame, bury themselves in work, numb themselves with addictions—all because, deep down, they’re afraid. Afraid of death. Afraid of the unknown. Afraid that they are not enough.

And the enemy knows this.

That’s why the author of Hebrews 2:14 writes:

“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil.”

What an incredible statement.

Jesus, the Son of God, entered into our flesh and blood existence—into our fragility, our mortality—so that through His death, He could break the grip that Satan held over humanity.

Because of what Jesus did on the cross, we’re not stuck anymore.
We’re not slaves to fear.
We’re not doomed to live under the shadow of death.

Satan can’t hold us in fear anymore.

And there is no sin—listen carefully—there is no sin you can commit that will drive God’s love away from you if you are in Christ.

We’re going to explore this more deeply in upcoming sessions, but this is the foundation:

“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
—Romans 8:1

Yes, the power of death is one of the devil’s most effective schemes.

He whispers fear into your mind.
He reminds you of your guilt.
He magnifies shame.
He tempts you to stay in the dark instead of running into the light of Christ’s grace.

But hear this:

The cross broke that power.
Grace reigns now.
Jesus lives—and because of that, you will live too.

Now let’s look at another one of Satan’s schemes:
👉 Injecting wicked purposes into the hearts of people.

Let’s go to John 13—the setting is the Last Supper.

This is that sacred, intimate moment between Jesus and His disciples.
And here’s what happens:

“It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father… The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.”
—John 13:1–2

Now think about that.

Judas is in the same room as Jesus.
He’s sitting at the same table.
He’s walked with Jesus.
He’s heard His teaching.
He’s seen the miracles.

And yet, Satan injects betrayal into his heart.

Jesus, noticing that the disciples hadn’t served one another, gets up, takes a towel, and begins to wash their feet—dirty, dust-caked feet from walking dusty roads in open sandals.

Even Judas’s feet.

Jesus knows what's coming—and still, He serves him.

This moment tells us a lot. It tells us:

• Satan can inject evil thoughts or purposes into the human heart.

• That even people who are close to Jesus—people in leadership, in ministry, in church—can still be vulnerable to spiritual attack.

• And yet Jesus remains faithful, even to the one who will betray Him.

Friends, this is sobering.
It’s not just “out there” in the world.
The enemy works in our midst, in our communities, in our churches—even in our hearts, if we’re not guarded.

That’s why we need spiritual awareness.
That’s why we’re doing this course.
So we won’t be unaware of his schemes.

But let’s never forget:
The power of death has been broken.
The grip of fear has been loosened.
The cross has already won the battle.

And so, in those days, the host of a meal would typically provide a lowly servant to wash the feet of the guests—a humble but important task. In this upper room gathering, however, no one had done it. Not one of the disciples stepped up.

So what does Jesus do?

He gets up from the table.
He removes his outer garment.
He wraps a towel around himself.
He pours water into a basin.
And he begins to wash their feet—one by one.

This is the Master of the universe—the King of Kings—kneeling as a servant.

And Peter protests:

“You shall never wash my feet.”

But Jesus replies:

“Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

And then, after this act of humble love, He says to them:

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
—John 13:14–15

He closes that moment with this profound statement:

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
—John 13:35

This is the essence of spiritual leadership.
Serving. Loving. Laying down pride.

But don’t miss what verse 2 says:

“During supper, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him.”

Right in the middle of this sacred, selfless act—Satan is at work.

He’s already injected an evil purpose into Judas’s heart.

And this is one of the enemy’s darkest, most destructive schemes:
👉 Planting wicked intentions in the hearts of people.

I said in the last session, Satan was behind the introduction of sin and death.
But here we see something even more chilling—he plants plans.
He inspires betrayals, attacks, church splits, violence, and division.

Let me get personal with you.

Some years ago, I tried to do a little study on why churches split.
Where does it start? How does the enemy get in?

Often, it begins with someone targeting the pastor.
Not in a healthy, biblical accountability sort of way, but through bitterness, envy, or personal offense.

One church I worked with had a group that just decided—this pastor’s not good enough.
So one man actually ran for elder, saying openly, “I’m doing this so I can get rid of the pastor.”

And he won the vote.

Two years later, that church was on life support. Nearly dead.

What put that into his heart?
Where did that motivation come from?

Let’s call it what it is:

Satan injected an evil purpose—a mission of destruction.

Now, as a watchperson in spiritual warfare, you must be alert.

Yes, look out for external temptations.
But also ask:

“What might the enemy be planting in me?”
“Where might he be sowing discord around me?”
“Is someone in my circle acting on a purpose that was not born of the Holy Spirit?”

We can’t be naive.
The devil doesn’t just work in far-off wars and distant tragedies.
He works in boardrooms, in committees, in friend groups, in families, in churches.

Be watchful. Be prayerful. Be discerning.

And above all:

Be anchored in the example of Jesus, who serves even in the presence of betrayal, and who overcomes the schemes of the enemy with humility, truth, and love.

Satan Filled Their Hearts: The Story of Ananias and Sapphira

You may remember the account of Ananias and Sapphira. This story unfolds during a powerful time of generosity and community in the early church. Believers were selling land and possessions and laying the money at the apostles’ feet to meet needs—widows, children, the poor—all were being cared for in Christ’s name.

One man, Barnabas, sells a field and gives the full amount. So inspiring is his action that they nickname him Son of Encouragement. Imagine having a reputation like that!

But here’s what happens next…

Ananias and Sapphira, seeing the admiration others receive for their giving, want the praise without the sacrifice.

They sell a piece of property—but secretly keep back a portion while claiming to give the full amount. When Ananias presents the gift, Peter, prompted by the Holy Spirit, says:

“Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the money for yourself?”
—Acts 5:3

He reminds him: It was yours to begin with. No one forced you to give. But because of this deception—this hypocrisy—Ananias falls dead on the spot. Later, Sapphira comes in and repeats the lie—and suffers the same fate.

Why such a harsh judgment?

Because the integrity of the church was at stake. If hypocrisy became normal in this Spirit-filled community—saying one thing while doing another—the church’s credibility and power would collapse.

Satan filled their hearts to lie.
And the result was spiritual—and physical—death.

This is a sobering warning to leaders today. Many church scandals—abuse cover-ups, financial corruption, spiritual manipulation—begin the same way. A little deception. A desire to look good. And eventually, Satan fills the heart with more and more darkness.

🧠 He Enters and Controls

We see another terrifying scheme in John 13, at the Last Supper.

Jesus has just washed the disciples’ feet. He’s teaching them about love and humility. And then:

“As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.”
—John 13:27

That phrase—“Satan entered into him”—reminds us of the reality of demonization.

It’s not always as dramatic as possession, but Scripture shows open doors through which the enemy can enter a life:

• Persistent sin (like greed, lust, or bitterness)

• Addiction

• Abuse of power

• Willful betrayal of Christ’s way

When Judas gave in to his secret plan, he stepped under the enemy’s influence. And Jesus, seeing it unfold, says chillingly:

“What you are about to do, do quickly.”

💥 The Enemy Torments and Sifts God’s Servants

Another scheme: tormenting God’s servants.

Jesus tells Peter:

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you like wheat.”
—Luke 22:31

To sift is to shake violently—until only what is real remains. Satan wants to shake you until your faith gives way, until your confidence is crushed, until your calling seems pointless.

I’ve seen this in real life.

One friend, before preaching in a spiritually dark region, stayed up all night, unable to sleep, feeling an oppressive weight. Torment. He wasn’t sick—he was under attack.

If you’re a leader, expect this. Satan targets those who influence others.

🚧 Satan Hinders

Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 2:18:

“We wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did again and again—but Satan blocked our way.”

No details. No backstory. Just this statement: the enemy can obstruct good work.

Sometimes, our best-laid ministry plans stall. Our technology breaks. People withdraw. Visas get denied. Partners disappear. Momentum stops.

We must discern when a blocked path is God redirecting us—or when Satan is hindering us.

Either way, we respond with prayer, perseverance, and truth.

🔥 Satan Lies—It’s His Native Language

Jesus puts it plainly:

“The devil…was a murderer from the beginning…When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
—John 8:44

One of Satan’s most successful strategies is simply this: lies.

• Lies about who God is.

• Lies about your worth.

• Lies that divide churches and destroy trust.

• Lies that become political tools, cultural slogans, even family narratives.

In fact, in my own country, one political figure was recorded telling over 30,000 documented falsehoods. When lies become normalized, society fractures. Trust dissolves. Darkness spreads.

When you see lies multiply—whether in culture, church, or your own heart—the enemy is near.

💪 Stay Alert, Stay Engaged

We’ve covered a lot:

• Satan fills the heart with hypocrisy.

• He enters through sin and betrayal.

• He torments, sifts, and hinders God’s people.

• He lies—relentlessly.

So what do we do?

We put on the full armor of God.
We walk in the Spirit.
We stand firm in grace and truth.
We stay alert and discerning, but we do not fear.

Because in all of this:

“Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”
—1 John 4:4

We’ll continue next time with practical strategies for resisting these attacks and walking in spiritual victory.

Until then—stay grounded, stay watchful, and stand strong.